Casualties involving piracy also fell in 2024, with the overall trend showing a 48% decline in these kinds of incidents be tween 2014 and 2024. This is largely the result of sustained international cooperation over the past decade, which has led to improved maritime security practices, regional stabilization efforts, and the adoption of best management practices by shipping companies.
In contrast, however, war loss incidents increased with yearly numbers ranging from zero to three until 2021 to 51 in 2024 due to ongoing political conflicts. This underscores the impact of geopolitical instability on maritime safety, highlighting the vulnerability of maritime operations in conflict zones and how this can lead to increased risks for vessels, cargo, and crew.
The rise in machinery-related casualties cuts across most vessel segments:
- General cargo ships accounted for 26% of all incidents, with a 13% increase in machinery failures in 2024.
- Passenger/ferry vessels saw a 48% jump in machinery failures and a 29% rise in total casualties, reaching 672.
- RoRo/PCTC segment incidents grew 69%, mainly due to an 87% spike in machinery issues.
- Bulk carriers saw modest incident growth (2% in 2024), though machinery issues fell 13%, countered by increased fire, hull, and piracy incidents.
- Container ships had only a 2% increase in incidents, with a 10% drop in machinery failures, though fires and collisions rose.
- Tankers were the only segment with a 3% decline in total incidents, despite an 11% rise in machinery issues.
- Gas carriers maintained the same number of incidents as 2023, with a 35% drop in machinery failures.
Shipowners and operators urged to take action to mitigate todays and future risks
While there are some glimmers of positivity, the overall trend in maritime safety is unmistakably negative. A steadily ageing fleet is clearly driving an increase in the number of incidents, and it is incumbent on shipowners to mitigate this issue through better maintenance, or other means.
The adoption of new technologies and fuels is also likely to be a growing factor in the years ahead and this should be addressed from an early stage though the implementation of safe vessel designs, profound technical barriers, best practices and comprehensive, continuous training for all crew members.
The maritime industry is in the middle of a period of great transformation. While this offers significant promise, it is also full of uncertainty, and stakeholders across the industry should continue to adopt best practices in ensuring the safety of vessels and crew.
80 | ISSUE 113 | SEP 2025 | THE REPORT
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